Reflecting on the nature of realism

Koo Chung-kuang (顧重光), a Taiwanese artist who is known for his abstract art and modern realism, currently has an exhibition at National Museum of History showcasing work that spans more than four decades and is as varied as his career.

Titled New Realism-Reflection of Nature (新寫實 -- 再現自然), the exhibition is scheduled to run until Nov. 21.

Koo first delved into abstract art in the 1960s while studying at National Taiwan Normal University, where he is now a professor. After graduating in 1965, he attended graduate school at Chinese Culture University. Soon after, he set out to find his own artistic voice.

His earlier works made use of thick, bold oil paints that he applied to canvasses. Gravel and pieces of paper were added to create works that he said symbolized the profound and mysterious qualities of the East. It was also during this time that Koo experimented with inserting portions of Chinese text into the body of his paintings.

The result, he said, was a style of sentimental abstraction that allowed the varied ingredients of Western art to meld together to create something symbolic of Chinese calligraphy.

Then, in 1976, Koo began to explore photorealism. The subjects are usually mundane and not particularly interesting.

The true subject of photorealist work, artists say, is the process by which the viewer creates a mental image of the object represented.

"The distinguishing factors between modernism and traditionalism lie in the difference of basic attitude," Koo said.

Counterpoint of Persimmons (柿子對立), for instance, uses photorealism to bring the shiny, orange fruit to life. But what's unique about this piece, painted in 1997, is the blending of Eastern and Western influences, a common thread in Koo's work, in which Western realism serves as a counterpoint to Chinese water-based ink painting.

While the former yields a bright representation of the persimmons, the latter is much darker, forming two-dimensional images that could symbolize any random fruit arranged in rows, with a wall as a backdrop.

Another evocative piece is Koo's Summer Strawberry, 1995 (夏日草莓). The painting is simply a bowl of strawberries with a few cubes of ice thrown in. The detail is simply exquisite.

Besides fruit, snapshots of life make up a number of Koo's other photorealist paintings.

Girl with Sheep (牧羊女), 1991, shows a girl wearing a bandana, holding what perhaps is grass, standing among a herd of sheep almost as tall as her. The mix of sharp colors, as well as the fine detail in the painting, radiates a warmth and immediacy that might otherwise be construed as ordinary.

Another painting of a similar stripe is Kabob Stands in Urumqi (二道橋烤肉攤子). Completed in 1999, it depicts life along a road in Urumqi, with yellow, boxy buildings where people come to buy and eat roasted meats. The blaring brightness of uninspiring buildings and the collection of dull-looking passersby equally vie for the viewers attention.

Exhibition Notes:

What: New Realism -- Reflection of Nature by Koo Chung-Kuang (顧重光) (新寫實 -- 再現自然)

Where: National Museum of History (國立歷史博物館), 49 Nanhai Rd, Taipei (臺北市南海路49號)

Telephone: (02) 2361 0270

When: Now until Nov. 21

Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 6pm

Tickets: NT$20 for adults, NT$10 for children and adults 65 and older.